The present invention relates to neurology and pharmacology, and to drugs for treating or preventing problems in the central nervous system (CNS). More specifically, this invention involves drugs that activate a certain type of receptor in the brain which is normally activated by serotonin. This receptor is called the 5HT-2A receptor.
The following Background sections provide introductory information on several types of receptors on the surfaces of neurons inside the brain, and on various neurotransmitters and drugs that stimulate or suppress activity at these receptors. Although the drugs that are the subject of this invention stimulate certain serotonin receptors, these drugs are intended to solve problems involving an entirely different class of receptors, triggered by glutamate. Therefore, glutamate receptors are described first, followed by serotonin receptors.